Sulfuric acid is a backbone of industry. It is necessary for preparing many industrial products from fertilizers to pharmaceuticals and from petrochemicals to steel. In 1974 approximately 34.5 million tons of sulfuric acid were produced in the United States.
Sulfuric acid is usually prepared on a commercial scale by the gas phase oxidation of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide followed by absorption of the sulfur trioxide in an aqueous medium. Modern industrial plants for preparing sulfuric acid usually utilize a supported vanadium contact catalyst for the oxidation of the sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide.
Throughout the history of the "contact sulfuric acid" process there has been a diligent search for active and durable sulfur dioxide oxidation catalyst which can be commercially prepared at a reasonable cost. Until this time a practitioner of the art on a commercial scale, had a choice between an active catalyst or a durable catalyst. The virtues of durability and high activity in a catalyst at a resonable price have eluded the diligent searches of catalyst manufacturers.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a durable and active sulfur dioxide oxidation catalyst. A further object of the present invention is to provide a durable and active sulfur dioxide oxidation catalyst which can be prepared at a reasonable cost. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vanadium containing, durable and active sulfur dioxide oxidation catalyst which can be prepared without undue modification of existing equipment and procedures.